'Kept staring at me': Woman confronts auto driver over theft attempt; video goes viral

A video of a woman catching a Rapido autorickshaw driver red-handed in Bengaluru went viral after he allegedly tried to steal money from her purse. The video sparked outrage on social media.The video was shared by Janhavi Kshatriyas, a fashion designer and model. In it, she can be seen confronting the rickshaw driver about his attempt to steal the money. She also reported the incident to Rapido.In a detailed post on Instagram, Kshatriyas described the entire episode. She had booked a Rapido Auto from Marathahalli to JP Nagar 7th Phase in Bengaluru. During the ride, the driver kept staring at her through the rearview mirror, which made her feel uncomfortable.She immediately informed her friend via Snapchat and mentioned that her phone battery was low. She then requested the driver to let her make the payment before her phone died, and he agreed.At 9.40 pm, about 1 km before reaching her home, her mother called and asked her to buy coffee powder. She asked the driver to stop, crossed the road and went into a shop. When she found the shop didn’t have coffee powder, she exited quickly.That’s when she caught the driver red-handed, attempting to open the front zip of her handbag.

The money was stuck in the zipper, and he was struggling to take it out. He didn’t realize she was standing right behind him, watching everything.When she confronted him, he nervously claimed he was “trying to move the bag behind to keep it safe,” and even tried to blame a random girl nearby for the theft attempt—despite being caught in the act.“This is NOT just about money. This is about trust, safety, and dignity,” Kshatriyas wrote in her post.

“I shudder to think what could have happened if I hadn’t returned in time.”

She urged Rapido to take strict action against the driver and improve background checks, stressing that passenger safety is non-negotiable. She also warned others to stay alert, especially when traveling alone or late at night. She shared the date, time, auto number and location of the incident in her post.Several netizens expressed outrage over the incident. One user commented, “Good thing you recorded and I’m glad you’re okay!” Another wrote, “I think this is one of the best videos—addressing a serious issue in the right way.”Rapido’s official Instagram account also responded, condemning the incident. It issued a sincere apology on behalf of the captain for his irresponsible behavior and assured that strict action would be taken.